Educational Product

Teachers &

Students

Grades

5-8

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

EG-2000-09-004-GRC 

NASA’s Student

Glovebox:

An Inquiry-Based Technology Educator’s Guide
NASA’s Student Glovebox EG-2000-09-004-GRC

On the cover:

Top - A completed NASA Student Glovebox with demonstration materials inside.

Lower left - Mission Specialist Catherine Coleman works with the Space Shuttle Glovebox aboard the

Space Shuttle Columbia on the second U.S. Microgravity Laboratory in 1995. 

Lower right - Catherine Coleman demonstrates the NASA Student Glovebox on Earth.

NASA’s Student Glovebox Educator’s Guide is available in electronic

format through NASA Spacelink - one of NASA’s electronic

resources specifically developed for the educational community. This

publication and other educational products may be accessed at the

following address:

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products
EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox

NASA’s Student

Glovebox:

An Inquiry-Based Technology Educator’s Guide

This publication is in the public domain and is not protected by copyright. 

Permission is not required for duplication for classroom use. For all other purposes, 

give credit to NASA and the authors.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, AL

NASA Headquarters

Washington, DC

i
NASA’s Student Glovebox EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Writers:

Carla B. Rosenberg

Melissa J. B. Rogers

National Center for Microgravity Research on Fluids and Combustion

Cleveland, OH

Graphics and Layout:

Robin Estell

CST Inc.

Huntsville, AL

Activity Contributors:

Kathy Mullane Higgins

Hudson City Schools

East Woods School

Hudson, OH

Carla B. Rosenberg

National Center for Microgravity Research on Fluids and Combustion

Cleveland, OH

Acknowledgements

ii
EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox

National Technology and Science Standards.................iv

Shuttle Glovebox............................................................................... 1

What Is a Glovebox?.................................................................. 1

Why Use a Glovebox?................................................................. 1

Parts of a Glovebox........................................................................ 2

Build a NASA Student Glovebox............................................ 4

Droplet Investigation of Liquids............................................. 9

Activity........................................................................................... 9

Answer Key....................................................................................13

Worksheet.....................................................................................16

Websites.................................................................................................18

NASA Educator Resource Centers........................................19

Spacelink............................................................................22

Table of Contents

iii
NASA’s Student Glovebox EG-2000-09-004-GRC

NASA's Student Glovebox is a middle-school Educational Product for use in selfcontained classrooms or in technology and physical science classes. This material

was developed to meet the specific technological design standards cited below. 

Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of 

Technology [Grades 6-8] 

by International Technology Education Association

Abilities for a Technological World 

-Students will develop abilities to apply the design process. 

National Science Education Standards [Grades 5-8] 

by National Research Council 

Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry 

-Design and conduct a scientific investigation. 

-Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data. 

-Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence. 

-Think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and 

explanations. 

Science and Technology 

-Abilities of technological design.

National Technology and Science Standards

iv

Payload Specialist Roger Crouch modifies

experiment hardware that levitates fluid

droplets, during the MSL-1 mission.
EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox

What Is a Glovebox?

AGlovebox is a sealed container

with built-in gloves. Astronauts

perform small experiments and test

hardware inside of them. Gloveboxes

have flown on the Space Shuttle and

Mir. The International Space Station

will have a permanent Glovebox on

the U.S. Laboratory, Destiny.

Why Use a Glovebox?

There are good reasons for doingan experiment in a Glovebox on

orbit. The sealed Glovebox keeps

flames, particles, fumes, and spilt 

liquids away from crew members 

and out of the cabin air. Fumes or

particles can irritate crew members’

skin and eyes or make the crew

sick. Spills could damage electrical

equipment. Any work with flames requires precautions, especially on a spacecraft. For

some studies, it is important to protect experiment samples from the cabin air and crew.

A closed environment may be essential to control experiment variables.

A Glovebox is a valuable research tool. It helps scientists find more effective methods

for performing an experiment, like growing better crystals. Scientists can use the

Glovebox to make sure small parts of a large experiment work. This helps build more

reliable equipment. For example, they can see if a part, like a nozzle, will work on orbit,

and see which nozzle shape works the best. 

One reason NASA created the Glovebox was so researchers could fly simple 

investigations into space more quickly. Normally, science teams work with NASA about

seven years before their experiment is ready to go into space. Seven years may seem

long, but the process is complex and takes careful planning. Glovebox research has a

shorter development time, usually taking three to five years.

This Glovebox flew on the Space Shuttle.

1

Shuttle Glovebox
NASA’s Student Glovebox 2 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Exterior

Window – On the top of the Glovebox is a window so the user can see inside the chamber. The window is made of an acrylic that is scratch-resistant and fog-resistant. A

microscope can be mounted on the top. VelcroTM rims the window so shades can be

added.

Controls – Above the viewing area are controls for power, lighting, video, and other

systems. 

Exterior Front

Glove Holes – Two doors have holes where rubber gloves attach. Crew members can

use heavy rubber gloves, light surgical gloves, or their bare hands. Heavy gloves

protect the researchers better, but are harder to use. Surgical gloves are thinner

and better for more precise finger control. Believe it or not, crew members sometimes wear surgical gloves over rubber gloves to improve the fit.

Doors – On the outside of the Glovebox are three removable doors. Equipment and

supplies are put into the Glovebox using one of the three front doors. 

Video Cameras – Cameras can be mounted on three of the doors so the astronaut and

the scientists on Earth can record what happens inside the chamber. 

Exterior Sides

Strips of VelcroTM – Along the outside walls, strips of VelcroTM keep supplies and notes

from floating out of reach. The doors are rimmed with VelcroTM so they can be

taken off and stored out of the way.

Door – On the left side of the glovebox is a fourth door, used to insert or position

equipment inside the Glovebox.

Window

Controls

Glove Holes

Door

Panels

Video Cameras

VelcroTM Strips

Parts of a Glovebox

Exterior

Door

Panel
3

Interior

The Glovebox has a 44 liter capacity (about the volume of a ten gallon aquarium). When

powered up, the Glovebox interior has a negative pressure which causes the gloves to

inflate with air. The bottom is made of steel. Equipment parts often have magnetic

strips on the bottom so they stick to the floor and stay in place. The inner chamber

also has clamps and VelcroTM strips to keep equipment, tools, and samples from floating

around. 

Connectors – There are various connectors for power, fans, and other utilities needed

to run experiments. 

Air Filter Vents – The air inside the Glovebox circulates through four round vents to

filter out particles such as soot.

Air Filter - Air flow enters the Glovebox through a bank of air filter holes on the

right interior wall.

Air Filter Vents Connectors

Adjustable

Halogen

Lights

Front Doors Removed

EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox

Side

Door

Panel

Air Filter

Interior

Controls

Lights
NASA’s Student Glovebox EG-2000-09-004-GRC

For the chamber:

• Empty copier paper box with

lid

• Glovebox artwork

• Masking tape

• Scissors 

• Utility knife

• Metal edge ruler

• 2 Pieces of 11 X 17

construction paper 

• Pencil

• Heavy cardboard cutting

surface 

• Clear contact paper

(optional)

For the lid:

• Copier paper box lid 

• Clear, 2-inch packing tape 

• 2 Overhead transparency

sheets

• Ruler

• Duct tape

• Utility knife

• Scissors

For the gloves:

• 4 Jumbo plastic cups (32 oz)

• Thick rubber bands (size

#64 or wider)

• Dish washing gloves (long)

• Disposable surgical gloves

• Utility knife

• Scissors

Optional:

• Tube socks

• Low-temperature glue gun 

• Low-temperature glue sticks

Build a NASA Student Glovebox

The artwork in this package contains photographs of the interior and exterior of aGlovebox that flew on several Space Shuttle missions. The pictures have been

sized to fit the dimensions of an empty copier paper box, so you can create a Glovebox

for use in the classroom. The instructions below describe how to build the Glovebox

with a window lid and glove inserts. NOTE: IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR STUDENTS TO

BUILD THIS GLOVEBOX. BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THE USE OF A UTILITY KNIFE AND A HOT GLUE GUN

(OPTIONAL), ADULT SUPERVISION IS RECOMMENDED.

4

Materials
The Chamber

1. The picture on top shows the interior of the Glovebox. The lower picture is the exterior.

Each picture has three sections: a long, middle section flanked by two shorter sides.

Arrows indicate where to fold to form the side panels.

2. Cut out the interior and the exterior panels along the dotted lines. Leave the white border

to fold over the sides.

EG-2000-09-004-GRC 5 NASA’s Student Glovebox

3. Fold the panels on the dotted lines as

indicated. 

4. Position the exterior middle segment so it

fits the long side of the box. Use masking

tape to secure the picture on the box, like

you would wrap a present. 

5. Position and secure the interior cutout to

the inside of the box.
EG-2000-09-004-GRC

3. Trace the inside rim of the jumbo plastic cup

on the black glove holes. Use a utility knife

to cut out the traced hole. The hole must be

smaller than the diameter of the cup rim so

the rim will not fall through the hole. Cover

the ragged edges with short pieces of masking tape. Note: YOU MAY WANT TO PRACTICE

THIS PROCEDURE ON A SCRAP OF CARDBOARD FIRST,

SO YOU DON’T RUIN THE GLOVEBOX. 

2.5 cm.

6

1. Make two armhole rings by cutting two 32-oz,

jumbo plastic cups 4.5 cm below the rim. Begin by

cutting a slit with a utility knife, and finish cutting

with scissors. Tape the jagged, cut edge with

masking tape.

2. Cut two more cups 2.5 cm below the rim. Tape the

edges. These rings will anchor the gloves inside

the box.

4.5 

cm.

4. Pull the open end of a glove up through the taped side of the 4.5cm ring. Fold the cuff 2cm

over the rim and secure it near the top with a thick rubber band. 

Rubber band

The Glove Inserts

NASA’s Student Glovebox
EG-2000-09-004-GRC

5. Insert the gloves through the box holes going into the chamber. The base of the gloves

will NOT lie flush against the cardboard (5a.).

6. Press the armhole ring snugly into the box, a little bit at a time, until the glove is tightly

nested in the cardboard (6a). 

7. Pass the glove through the 2.5 cm anchor ring inside the box, and press securely, like cups

stacked together (7a). You can make the cup fit more snugly by adding layers of tape.

If they will not stay together, you may opt to hot glue the anchor rings to the glove rings.

This, however, will prevent you from being able to try different kinds of gloves when working in the Glovebox.

7 NASA’s Student Glovebox

Different Glove Inserts (Optional)

Crew members can either use a heavy glove, thin surgical gloves, or their bare hands inthe Glovebox. The choice depends on the type of experiment, the motor skills

required, and the level of protection needed. The gloves fashioned in the previous

directions are an example of heavier gloves used for more protection. If students cannot reach far enough into the Glovebox, a longer glove can be made. See the details

below. For finer motor control, you can use surgical gloves by themselves or even wear

surgical gloves over the rubber gloves for a better fit. 

1. Make a cuff or covered opening for the armholes. Cut off the fingers and thumb of

surgical gloves and fasten the remaining sleeve to the cup ring as instructed in step

four. This leaves a "cuff" for the arms to go through and keeps materials from

spilling out of the Glovebox. Then, you can wear surgical gloves.

5. 5a. 6.

6a. 7. 7a.
NASA’s Student Glovebox 8 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

The Lid

1. Have a partner hold a ruler or meter

stick firmly along the long-side of the

lid, flush with the top, so the ruler will

not wiggle. Use the utility knife to trim

the lid lip to the width of the ruler.

Repeat for the other three sides of

the lid.

2. Draw and cut a window in the top of

the lid with a border as wide as the

ruler.

3. Place the lid upside down. Lay the

transparency sheets side-by-side so

they touch and cover the hole

completely. Tape the sheets together

with the clear packing tape. Secure

the sheets to the lip of the border

with tape. 

4. Tape the rim of the lid with gray duct

tape.

Optional:Tape construction paper to the inside

bottom and the outside back of the box, and you

have a completed classroom Glovebox. To protect

the Glovebox from spills and wear and tear, cover

the inside with clear contact paper. Contact paper

is difficult to work with, so cut each piece to fit.

Another alternative is to attach the surgical glovesto the cut end of a tube sock. 

1. Cut the toe off a tube sock. 

2. Make a hem with a hot glue gun to keep the edges

from unraveling.

3. Hot glue the glove to the toe end of the sock. 

4. Attach the other end of the sock to the cup ring

with a thick rubber band, as in step four of the

Glove Insert directions.

1.

2.

3.

Duct Tape
EG-2000-09-004-GRC 9 NASA’s Student Glovebox

Droplet Investigation 

of Liquids (DIL)

This inquiry-based activity is based on a Glovebox investigation with the catchy title:Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion investigation, or FSDC for short. FSDC was

performed on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1995 and 1997 and will fly again aboard the

International Space Station. The investigation studied ways to position droplets of liquid

fuels on thin fibers and then ignite them on orbit. This research allowed scientists to

develop efficient droplet deployment (positioning) techniques and to study droplet

combustion processes. Such research may improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollution on

Earth. 

This student activity, the Droplet

Investigation of Liquids (DIL) is based on

the FSDC investigation, but without igniting

the droplets. The purpose of DIL is to

have students design their own experiment

and in the process investigate characteristics of various liquids. The class can go one

step further and speculate how their

experiments would work on orbit, in a

microgravity environment.

Objectives

The students will design their own DIL experiment and experiment hardware that can beused in their team’s Glovebox. To conduct this activity, students will need to experiment

with various fibers and liquids to determine which fiber and which liquid will produce the most

spherical droplet. They will also need to figure out the best way to mount the fiber, write

instructions to conduct the activity, and present their conclusions at a science conference.

A droplet of liquid fuel

suspended on a fine

fiber burns during an

FSDC investigation.

Flame

Soot Shell

Fuel Droplet

Fiber

Students will test ways to deploy

droplets of liquids on wires.

Payload Specialist Greg Linteris

ignites a liquid fuel droplet using

FSDC hardware during training

aboard a research aircraft in

preparation for a Shuttle mission.

Liquid Fuel

Droplet

Fiber
10 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Preparation

• Send a note home to parents telling them about the project a week or two ahead of time.

Include the materials list and ask them to send in materials from this list.

• Discuss properties of liquids, such as how different liquids and materials interact, surface

tension, and viscosity, so students will know what to look for while making observations.

• Review the scientific process and how to design an effective experiment. Go over ways to

communicate data using tables and charts.

Assorted fibers (waxed dental floss,

unwaxed dental floss, jewelry wire, nylon

fishing line, thread, string)

Small containers to hold liquids (such as

beakers, paper cups, film canisters, or

yogurt containers) 

Materials to build experiment apparatus

(like margarine tubs)

Different liquids (like cooking oil, water,

rubbing alcohol, and corn syrup)

Scissors 

VelcroTM

Push pins and binder clips 

Plastic beads (small and very small)

Eye droppers, pipettes, or needleless

syringes (2 ml or less)

Styrofoam meat trays or plates to catch

spills

Re-sealable bags (to store team materials)

NASA Student Glovebox 

DIL Data Table worksheets (3 per student)

Writing paper and pencils

Paper towels 

Metal lunch box (optional)

Instant or digital camera (optional)

Materials

NASA’s Student Glovebox

NOTE: THE LIQUIDS AND FIBERS LISTED HERE ARE MERELY SUGGESTIONS. ENCOURAGE STUDENTS

TO TRY OTHERS. IF YOU USE RUBBING ALCOHOL, BE SURE THE ROOM IS WELL VENTILATED.

Board Engineer Shannon Lucid poses with the

Glovebox onboard the Priroda module of the

Russian Space Station Mir. 
11

1. Show students a NASA Student

Glovebox. Describe the purposes for

spacecraft Gloveboxes and how they

work.

2. Explain the purpose of the FSDC investigation, and tell them they will be creating

their own DIL investigation to determine

which combination of liquids and fibers

will produce the most spherical droplets,

with the liquid evenly surrounding the

fiber, like a bead. This simulates the

Shuttle FSDC investigations, where scientists researched the best way to suspend various fuel droplets on a wire

before igniting them. In this example,

the Glovebox investigation is being used

to test a technique and perfect hardware, as well as to gather data. Taking

into account the physical characteristics

of the liquid fuels is an essential element

to the design.

3. Explain the DIL investigation requirements to your students.

• Each team must build an apparatus or

experiment hardware that can hold a

piece of fiber taut. Creative use of

technology and creative thinking are

important.

• Experiment hardware must fit inside of

the metal lunch box to meet space 

limitations within the Glovebox.

• The apparatus must be "Flight Safe."

Remember, in low-Earth orbit equipment

and tools need to be held in place.

Liquids need to be contained.

• Teams should make a technical drawing

of the apparatus. 

• Each team will present one set of

directions explaining how to conduct

the experiment step by step. Accuracy,

grammar, and neatness are signs of

professionalism. Complete sentences

are required.

4. On the first day, allow students to work

individually or in small groups in a freeform investigation, testing liquids and

fibers and building experiment hardware.

Students should pay attention to the

properties of the liquids and fibers.

They have multiple liquids and fibers to

test, but must limit their team’s selection

to three liquids and three fibers for

testing on Day Two. Remind students to

notice which liquids and fibers produce

the most spherical droplets, with the liquid

evenly surrounding the fiber, like a bead,

and which fibers hold the droplets

best.

5. Students should make careful, critical

observations, not assumptions.

Accurate drawings are the key for

making comparisons. At first, students

may think droplets are all spherical.

Show them this diagram to see the

many shapes droplets may take. Taking

pictures may help with comparisons.

6. Scientists sometimes use tiny, hollow

spherical balls to anchor droplets of

liquid fuel to a wire. Have students try

different ways to anchor a droplet, like a

bead or a knot, and choose one method to

test in the next class, as indicated on the

worksheet. 

7. Ask students what roles surface tension

and viscosity play in this investigation. 

8. Ask leading questions to help students

determine what design approach to take

for the experiment hardware. How will

they start? What do they need to know

to build the apparatus? How will they

know if the design is successful? How

will they make their hardware flight safe? 

EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox

Procedure
12 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

9.(Optional) As a class, develop a rubric to

determine their final grade, including

experiment drawing design, written procedures, droplet characteristics, data 

collection, conclusions, and a presentation

at the Glovebox Research Conference.

10.On Day Two, students should work in

groups of four or five, at the teacher’s

discretion. Team members should share

their findings from the previous day’s

investigation. They should review the

requirements of the DIL experiment

before selecting the three fibers and

three liquids to officially use in their

Glovebox investigation. 

11.Each team member is responsible for

ideas and contributions. When they are

ready for testing, team members should

assume the roles of: 

Principal Investigator – Writes and

reads the experiment procedures.

Technical Lead – Builds the apparatus,

makes it flight safe. 

Crew Member – Conducts the investigation, following written experiment

procedures. 

Project Manager – Observes and

records what happens on the data

sheet, and keeps the team on schedule.

12.Once they decide on their roles, the team

should work on the experiment hardware

design, meeting flight safety requirements, and start testing liquids and

fibers, using the worksheet. 

13.Let students work in teams independently

over one or two class periods. Monitor

their progress, making sure they do not

spend too long on any one step. Each day

the Project Manager should share

progress and problems with the teacher.

14.Teams should analyze their data and

select the best fiber, liquid, and anchor

for their DIL investigation. After finalizing their drawings and written procedures, each team should submit one set to

the teacher. 

15.Once approved, teams should test their

DIL investigation and complete the worksheet. They should note the following: 

• Does their apparatus meet the DIL investigation requirements? 

• Did their flight hardware work according

to plan or did it require modifications? 

• How did the experiment meet flight safety requirements? 

• Were the written instructions easy to

follow, or were revisions necessary? 

16.Place experiment hardware in the NASA

Student Glovebox and test it to see how

it works. How was working in the

Glovebox different from working in an

open laboratory? What kind of gloves did

the team use? Why? How could crew

members get a better view inside the

Glovebox?

17.Hold a Glovebox Research Conference

where teams present their conclusions

using data tables and charts to support

their findings.

NASA’s Student Glovebox

Payload Specialist Albert Sacco, Jr. works in

the Glovebox on the Shuttle.
EG-2000-09-004-GRC NASA’s Student Glovebox 13

Conference Discussion Questions

Each team member needs to be prepared to answer all of the following questions.• What made your hardware design work well? 

• What liquids and fibers produced the most spherical droplets? See answer key 

question 3. 

• Based on your observations, predict which liquids have the lowest to highest surface 

tension? See answer key question 4.

• How well did your group work as a team? What made this team project challenging? 

• What did you learn about conducting a scientific investigation? 

• How would you improve the way you conducted this investigation if you could do it again?

• How could you make your data collection more precise?

• Do you think your team’s results are reproducible? Explain.

• Would you feel comfortable designing and conducting an investigation of your own, if

asked? Why or why not?

Think!

Were the majority of the droplets suspended evenly on the fibers? No. Would this be an issue

if the investigation flew on the International Space Station? No. Gravity will not pull the drops

down in an orbiting spacecraft, so tear-shaped droplets become round, as surface tension becomes the dominant force at work. Droplets will no longer "hang down," because there is no down, but hang around the fiber

more evenly.

Waxed Dental

Floss

A big round

droplet will lay

on top of the

floss, like water

beads on wax

paper.

Droplet would

not stick to the

floss.

Two droplets

hung from the

bottom of the

bead.

Water sticks to itself

and bounces off the

waxed floss. This

would not be a good

fiber to use in the

Glovebox.

How did the fluid 

interact with the

fiber?

Anchor Method 

Small Bead

Fiber Type Predict Plain Fiber

Answer Key to Droplet Investigation of Liquids (DIL) Data Table

Data Table

The following is an example of how a student might complete part of the data table, minus the

drawings. The results depend on the fluids and fibers selected, the type of dropper, the

anchor method, and the skills of the student. Answers will vary. 
NASA’s Student Glovebox 14 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Worksheet Answer Key (Note: for all questions, expect answers to vary. These are possible answers

from our tests, not definitive answers.)

Question 1: Characteristics of Liquids

Canola Oil – Pale yellow, thicker liquid than water, surface tension is less than water, coats

most fibers except for wire.

Corn Syrup – Thick, tacky, pale yellow, moves slowly, high viscosity, so heavy it rolls off

fibers, holds shape well, forms best spheres. 

Rubbing Alcohol – Stinky, thin liquid, has low surface tension, evaporates quickly, forms

unstable droplets, absorbs into cotton and twine.

Water – Has high surface tension, clear, absorbs into cotton and twine, does not interact

with wire, bounces off of wax.

Question 2: Anchors

For each fiber, we used the following anchor methods: no anchor, a knot, a small bead, and a

large bead. We even tried a drop of super glue as an anchor, which was a total mess. Don’t use

it! The knot and the smaller beads acted as better anchors for droplets.

Water - Water droplets clung to the bead but not the fiber. The knot did anchor a droplet

to the unwaxed floss. 

Oil - The oil acts the same on the bead regardless of the fiber used, coating the bead

completely. With time the droplet hangs more from the bottom of the bead. 

Alcohol - For both flosses, the bead provided a good anchor, otherwise, alcohol did not form

much of a droplet on the various fibers. 

Corn Syrup - Corn syrup formed droplets on the knots of the waxed and unwaxed floss.

The syrup anchors to the bead, not the fibers.

Question 3: Most Spherical Droplets

We tested corn syrup, canola oil, rubbing alcohol, and water using waxed and unwaxed dental

floss, fine jewelry wire, cotton sewing thread, nylon fishing line, and twine. Here’s our ranked

list of the combinations for the most spherical droplets, from most to least spherical. 

1. Corn syrup and nylon fishing line or unwaxed floss - By far the most spherical droplets

resulted from the corn syrup on the plain nylon fishing line, and next best on the unwaxed

dental floss. Corn syrup was also the most interesting liquid to observe because it is so

viscous. Droplets held their shape even if the fiber was held vertically.

2. Water and cotton sewing thread - Water has the highest surface tension of the liquids we

tested. Fibers with plastic bead anchors could hold up to two droplets; however, the shape

was not spherical. 

3. Canola oil and nylon fishing line - Oil on the knot of the nylon fishing line produced a small

semi-spherical droplet. Single drops formed below most plain fibers once the fiber was

coated with oil. Small droplets hung from the bottom of the beads for all of the fibers. 

4. Rubbing alcohol - On the knot of the nylon fishing line and fine jewelry wire, alcohol produced the smallest droplets, and it formed the least spherical droplets.
EG-2000-09-004-GRC 15 NASA’s Student Glovebox

Question 4: Surface Tension

From lowest to highest surface tension: (1) alcohol, (2) corn syrup, (3) canola oil, (4) water.

Students may notice surface tension by the way a liquid seems to "stick" to itself and the way

it interacts with fibers. Water has the greatest surface tension of these liquids, forming the

largest droplets. As a droplet falls, it forms a sphere. Drops of water suspended from a

dropper seem to bounce off waxed floss. In contrast, alcohol forms the smallest droplets, and

does not cling well to fibers. 

Question 5: Viscosity

From lowest to highest viscosity: (1) alcohol, (2) water, (3) canola oil, (4) corn syrup. Corn syrup

forms spherical little balls that keep their shape, even when the string dangles. When corn

syrup drips, it may form runny tails.

The International Space Station (ISS) Glovebox is larger and has more capabilities than Shuttle Gloveboxes. In fact, the entire Shuttle Glovebox is

about as big as the sample storage area of the ISS Glovebox.

Sample storage

area.
NASA’s Student Glovebox 16 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Fiber Type

List the fiber type.

Predict

Predict how the liquid

will interact with the

fiber. Draw droplet

shape and size in the

small box. The line

represents the fiber.

Plain Fiber

Draw droplet shape

and size in the 

small box. The line

represents the fiber.

Anchor Method How did the

fluid interact

with the fiber?

Droplet Investigation of Liquid (DIL) Data Table

Liquid _____________
EG-2000-09-004-GRC 17 NASA’s Student Glovebox

Questions

1. Describe three characteristics of this liquid based on the way it interacted with the

fiber.

2. How successful was the anchor method you used? Explain.

3. Compare and contrast your data. Conclude which fiber anchor and liquid produced the

best droplet. 

4. Did this liquid have strong or weak surface tension? How do you know?

5. Describe the viscosity of this liquid. Explain your reasoning.
NASA’s Student Glovebox 18 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Websites

For more information about NASA Gloveboxes, Glovebox research, and related educationmaterials, visit these websites.

General Microgravity Glovebox Information

http://microgravity.nasa.gov/Glov.html

http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/expr2/gb.htm 

http://spacelink.nasa.gov (Do a search for

Glovebox.)

Glovebox Overheads

http://www.ncmr.org/education/k12/overheads.html

Fiber Supported Droplet Combustion Investigation

http://zeta.grc.nasa.gov/expr2/fsdc.htm

Microgravity Education Materials

http://www.ncmr.org/education/k12/classroom.html

http://spacelink.nasa.gov

Microgravity Mission Information

http://microgravity.nasa.gov

Microgravity Images

http://microgravity.nasa.gov/MGImages/UTILS/

search.mg1.cgi

NASA Education Materials and Programs

http://spacelink.nasa.gov

http://education.nasa.gov

Microgravity Glovebox Missions

Note: If the mission websites do not work, chances

are good that the site was moved to an archive

somewhere. Don’t give up! Try doing a search for

the mission acronym (such as USML-2) at

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

USML-2

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/shuttle/usml2/

USMP-3

http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/usmp3/usmp3.htm

USMP-4

http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/usmp4/usmp4.htm

MSL-1

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/

sts-83/presskit/msl1/glovebox/ 

Shuttle/Mir Microgravity Experiments

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/shuttlemir/science/shuttmir/shutmir/microexp.htm 

Spacelab

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/shuttle/spacelab/

sl-hist.html

International Space Station

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/index.html

http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa/core.html

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/temp/StationLoc.html

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station

Payload Specialist Larry DeLucas uses a

Glovebox as part of ground training before

a Shuttle mission.
If you live in:

Alaska

Arizona

California

Hawaii

Idaho

Montana

Nevada

Oregon

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Please contact:

NASA Educator Resource Center 

Mail Stop 253-2 

NASA Ames Research Center 

Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 

Phone: (650) 604-3574 

FAX: (650) 604-3445 

http://ccf.arc.nasa.gov/dx/basket/trc/trchome.html 

Illinois

Indiana

Michigan

Minnesota

Ohio

Wisconsin

NASA Educator Resource Center

NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field 

21000 Brookpark Rd., MS 8-1 

Cleveland, OH 44135 

Phone: (216) 433-2017 

FAX: (216) 433-3601 

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/PAO/html/edteacher.htm

EG-2000-09-004-GRC 19 NASA’s Student Glovebox

NASA Educator Resource Centers

NASA's Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) was established for

the national and international distribution of NASA-produced educational materials

in audiovisual format. Educators can obtain a catalogue and an order form by one of the

following methods: 

NASA CORE

Lorain County Joint Vocational School 

15181 State Route 58 

Oberlin, OH 44074-9799 

Phone: (440) 775-1400

Fax: (440) 775-1460 

E-mail: nasaco@leeca.org 

Home Page: http://core.nasa.gov 

Educator Resource Center Network (ERCN)

To make additional information available 

to the education community, NASA has

created the NASA Educator Resource

Center (ERC) network. Educators may preview, copy, or receive NASA materials at

these sites. Phone calls are welcome if you

are unable to visit the area. A list of the

centers and the regions they serve follows. 
Colorado

Kansas

Nebraska

New Mexico

North Dakota

Oklahoma

South Dakota

Texas

Space Center Houston

NASA Educator Resource Center for Johnson Space Center

1601 NASA Road One

Houston, TX 77058

Phone: (281) 244-2129

FAX: (281) 483-9638

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov

Florida

Georgia

Puerto Rico

Virgin Islands

NASA Educator Resource Center 

Mail Code ERC

NASA Kennedy Space Center 

J.F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 

Phone: (321) 867-4090 

FAX: (321) 867-7242 

http://www/ksc.nasa.gov 

Kentucky

North Carolina

South Carolina

Virginia

West Virginia

Virginia Air and Space Center

Educator Resource Center for NASA Langley Research Center 

600 Settlers Landing Road 

Hampton, VA 23669-4033 

Phone: (757) 727-0990 Ext. 75 

FAX: (757) 727-0898 

http://www.vasc.org/erc/ 

NASA Educator Resource Laboratory

Mail Code 130.3

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Greenbelt, MD 20771-0001

Phone: (301) 286-8570

FAX: (301) 286-1781

http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/educ/trl/welcome.html

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Maine, Maryland

Massachusetts

Pennsylvania

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Rhode Island

Vermont

NASA’s Student Glovebox 20 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

Alabama

Arkansas

Louisiana

Missouri

Tennessee

Iowa

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Educator Resource Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

One Tranquility Base 

Huntsville, AL 35758 

Phone: (256) 544-5812 

FAX: (256) 544-5820 

http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/education/erc 
GSFC/Wallops Flight Facility 

NASA Educator Resource Center 

Building J-17 

Wallops Island, VA 23337 

Phone: (757) 824-2298 

FAX: (757) 824-1776 

http://WFF.nasa.gov

NASA Educator Resource Center for 

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center 

45108 N. 3rd Street East 

Lancaster, CA 93535 

Phone: (661) 948-7347

Fax: (661) 948-7068

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/trc/

NASA JPL Educator Resource Center 

Village at Indian Hill 

1460 East Holt Avenue, Suite 20 

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Pomona, CA 91767 

Phone: (909) 397-4420

Fax: (909) 397-4470

http://learn.jpl.nasa.gov

Arizona and

Southern California

Virginia and

Maryland’s Eastern

Shores

Mississippi

NASA Educator Resource Center

NASA Stennis Space Center 

Building 1200 

Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000 

Phone: (228) 688-3220 

FAX: (228) 688-2824 

http://education.scc.nasa.gov/htmls/trc/trc.htm 

EG-2000-09-004-GRC 21 NASA’s Student Glovebox

Regional Educator Resource Centers offer more educators access to NASA educational materials.

NASA has formed partnerships with universities, museums, and other educational institutions

to serve as regional ERCs in many states. A complete list of regional ERCs is available through CORE,

or electronically via NASA Spacelink at http://spacelink.nasa.gov/ercn/ 

NASA's Education Home Page serves as a cyber-gateway to information regarding educational

programs and services offered by NASA for the American education community. This high-level

directory of information provides specific details and points of contact for all of NASA's

educational efforts, Field Center offices, and points of presence within each state. Visit this

resource at the following address: http://education.nasa.gov 

The Jet Propulsion

Laboratory (JPL) serves

inquiries related to

space and planetary

exploration and other

JPL activities.
NASA’s Student Glovebox 22 EG-2000-09-004-GRC

NASA Spacelink is one of NASA's electronic

resources specifically developed for

the educational community. Spacelink is a

"virtual library" in which local files and

hundreds of NASA World Wide Web links

are arranged in a manner familiar to educators. Using the Spacelink search engine,

educators can search this virtual library to

find information regardless of its location

within NASA. Special events, missions, and

intriguing NASA websites are featured in

Spacelink's "Hot Topics" and "Cool Picks" areas.

Spacelink may be accessed at:

http://spacelink.nasa.gov 

NASA Spacelink is the official home to electronic

versions of NASA's Educational Products. A

complete listing of NASA Educational Products can

be found at the following address:

http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products 

NASA Television (NTV) features Space

Shuttle mission coverage, live special events,

interactive educational live shows, electronic field

trips, aviation and space news, and historical

NASA footage. Programming has a 3-hour block

— Video (News) File, NASA Gallery, and

Education File — beginning at noon Eastern and

repeated five more times throughout the day.

Live feeds preempt regularly scheduled programming. 

Check the Internet for program listings at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv 

For more information on NTV, contact: 

NASA TV 

NASA Headquarters 

Code P-2 

Washington, DC 20546-0001 

Phone (202) 358-3572 

NTV Weekday Programming Schedules 

(Eastern Times) 

Video File NASA Gallery Education File 

12-1 p.m. 1-2 p.m. 2-3 p.m. 

3-4 p.m. 4-5 p.m. 5-6 p.m. 

6-7 p.m. 7-8 p.m. 8-9 p.m. 

9-10p.m. 10-11 p.m. 11-12 p.m. 

How to Access Information on NASA's

Education Program, Materials, and Services

EP-1999-06-345-HQ. 

This brochure serves as a guide to accessing a

variety of NASA materials and services for educators. Copies are available through the ERC

network, or electronically via NASA Spacelink. 

Spacelink

Online Evaluation

Please take a moment to evaluate this product at

http://ehb2.gsfc.nasa.gov/edcats/educators_guide.

Your evaluation and suggestions are vital to continually improving

NASA educational materials.

Thank you.
NASA’s Student Glovebox:

An Inquiry-Based Technology Educator’s Guide

EDUCATOR REPLY CARD

To achieve America’s goals in Educational Excellence, it is NASA’s mission todevelop supplementary instructional materials and curricula in science, mathematics, and technology. NASA seeks to involve the educational community inthe development and improvement of these materials. Your evaluation andsuggestions are vital to continually improving NASA educational materials.Otherwise, please return the reply card by mail. Thank you.1. With what grades did you use the educator guide?

Number of Teachers/Faculty:

K-4 5-8 9-12 Community College 

College/University - Undergraduate GraduateNumber of Students:

K-4 5-8 9-12 Community College 

College/University - Undergraduate GraduateNumber of Others:

Administrators/Staff Parents Professional Groups

General Public Civic Groups Other

2. What is your home 5- or 9-digit zip code? __ __ __ __ __ — __ __ __ __3. This is a valuable educator guide?

❏ Strongly Agree ❏ Agree ❏ Neutral ❏ Disagree ❏ Strongly Disagree

4. I expect to apply what I learned in this educator guide.

❏ Strongly Agree ❏ Agree ❏ Neutral ❏ Disagree ❏ Strongly Disagree

5. What kind of recommendation would you make to someone who asks about this 

educator guide?

❏ Excellent ❏ Good ❏ Average ❏ Poor ❏ Very Poor

6. How did you use this educator guide?

❏ Background Information ❏ Critical Thinking Tasks❏ Demonstrate NASA Materials ❏ Demonstration❏ Group Discussions ❏ Hands-On Activities❏ Integration Into Existing Curricula ❏ Interdisciplinary Activity❏ Lecture ❏ Science and Mathematics ❏ Team Activities Standards Integration❏ Other: Please specify:

7. Where did you learn about this educator guide?

❏ NASA Educator Resource Center❏ NASA Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE)❏ Institution/School System❏ Fellow Educator❏ Workshop/Conference❏ Other: Please specify: 

8. What features of this educator guide did you find particularly helpful?9. How can we make this educator guide more effective for you?10.Additional comments:Today’s Date:

Please take a moment to respond to the statements and questions below.You can submit your response through the Internet or by mail. Send yourreply to the following Internet address:

http://ehb2.gsfc.nasa.gov/edcats/educator_guide

You will then be asked to enter your data at the appropriate prompt. 

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